Book Review of Death on Dartmoor by Dara England

Death on Dartmoor by Dara England

Millicent Wright and her mother have arrived from America to visit Sir Oliver Longbourne whom they met in Chicago. Sir Oliver invited them to visit and the main reason they come is Mrs. Wright is looking for a husband for her daughter.

Sir Oliver is murdered in one of the first chapters and thus begins the search for the person who killed him.

This is a quick read and it leads the reader into following clues to the murders(s).

This is the first book I have read by Dara England and I will give it a 4 star.

I loved the descriptions of Buckfast hall as well as the other places in the book.

No sex and no bad language which was appreciated.

Characters:

Millicent Wright- from America (Chicago), her father died 6 years ago and was a wealthy financier.

Mrs. Wright- mother of Millicent

Sir Oliver Longbourne

Phillip-son of Sir Oliver (about 10 years old)

Joanna Longbourne- Wife of Sir Oliver

Miss Caroline Longbourne- sister of Oliver

Lady Longbourne- grandmother of Sir Oliver

Colonel Quinlan- brother-in-law of Sir Oliver

Detective Abel Lockwood

Lady Edith- guest of Oliver

Amelia Shepherd- a possible romantic interest of Sir Oliver

Clara - a maid

Billy- a servant accused of theft of cuff links of Sir Oliver

Buckfast Hall- home of Sir Oliver

Village of Buckfastleigh on Dartmoor, Devonshire, England

Mrs Wardly's party in Chicago where Millicent and Sir Oliver met

It is part of a series of An American Heiress Mystery.

This is an ebook I downloaded from Amazon.
You can find Dara England at

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4821160.Dara_England

https://twitter.com/Dara_England

www.facebook.com/DaraEngland

website

http://www.daraenglandauthor.com/

The opinions are my own

Leona Olson

http://www.mnleona.blogspot.com

Review of The Intercept by Dick Wolf

Review of The Intercept by Dick Wolf

This is in the back of the book:
"Dick Wolf makes his literary debut with this tense, driving thriller, reminiscent of the classic The Day of the Jackal, an extraordinary tale filled with the ingenious twists and high-wire suspense we have come to expect from this master storyteller
Days before the July Fourth holiday and the dedication of One World Trade Center at Ground Zero, an incident aboard a commercial jet flying over the Atlantic Ocean reminds everyone that vigilance is not a task to be taken lightly. But for iconoclastic NYPD detective Jeremy Fisk, it may also be a signal that there is much more to this case than the easy answer of this being just the work of another lone terrorist.
Fisk—assigned to the department's Intelligence Division, a well-funded antiterror unit modeled on the CIA—suspects that the event might also be a warning sign that another, potentially more extraordinary scheme has been set in motion. Fluent in Arabic and the ways of his opponents, Fisk is a rule breaker who follows his gut—even if it means defying those above him in the department's food chain. So when a passenger from the same plane, a Saudi Arabian national, disappears into the crowds of Manhattan, it's up to Fisk and his partner Krina Gersten to find him before the celebrations begin.
Watching each new lead fizzle, chasing shadows to dead ends, Fisk and Gersten quickly realize that their opponents are smarter and more agile than any they have ever faced. Extremely clever and seemingly invisible, they are able to exploit any security weak-ness and anticipate Fisk's every move . . . and time is running out."
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The Intercept is written by Dick Wolf , the creator of Law & Order, a TV show.

The book has been dedicated to TK.

The Intercept kept me interested and also in wonder why people think and act as they do. The book is based on terrorism in the United States. A plan to hijack a Scandinavian Airlines plane headed to New York is stopped by six people who become known as "The Six", honored and called heroes.
The book has Jeremy Fisk a detective for the NYPD Intelligence Division, and his partner Krina Gersten, whose family has been in the police force for four generations, searching for a terrorist named Bin-Hezam for most of the book.
The book has many twists and turns which makes it a real page turner. The chapters are short and fast moving. The Arabic language is used throughout the book. Fisk speaks fluent Arabic.
The book goes into details of the murders that take place. I felt this was a "heavy" book with the fear and reality it can give to the reader. I was impressed with the details of the book and descriptions of New York pulled the reader into the book. Real people are included in The Intercept as well as the characters of the book. Commissioner Ray Kelly of the NYPD, President Obama, President George W. Bush, Laura Bush, Mayor Bloomberg and Oprah are mentioned and I felt that added to the book. I liked the characters of the book but not enough information about them.
The book contains one sex scene and language that used the f word a lot.

I will give this a four star rating. I was given a complimentary copy of The Intercept to read and review. The opinions are my own.

I wish to thank goodreads and Dick Wolf for the opportunity to read and review. I look forward to reading the next book written by Dick Wolf.

Part 1: Background Noise page 1
Part 2: October 2009 Abbottabad, Pakistan page 43
Part 3: May 2011 Ramstein Air Base, Germany page 53
Part 4: Chatter Thursday, July 1 page 81
Part 5: Eavesdrop Friday, July 2 page 109
Part 6: Intercepts Saturday, July 3 page 179
Part 7: Double-Speak page 275
Part 8: Moment of Silence,July 4 page 343

Attracted to Fire

Review of Attracted to Fire by DiAnn Mills

Secret Service Agent Meghan Connors has been assigned to protect Vice-President Hall's daughter, Lindsay, who has drug and alcohol problems. Also assigned are Agent Ash Zinder and other agents. Lindsay has been sent to the Dancin' Dust Ranch in West Texas, owned by Press Secretary Scottard Burnette, along with a psychologist, Dr. David Sanchez, and his nurse who will treat Lindsay with vitamins and healthy foods. The ranch is about 100 miles west of Austin. (I am guessing in the Kerrville area of Texas because of the description area and that the Barton Creek Mall is in the south part of Austin. Not Llano or Brady because I would think there would be a reference to Bar-B-Q. Personal opinion because I can picture it more).

This is a mystery that involves the President and Vice-President of the United States. The President has cancer, resigns and Vice-President Hall is sworn in as President. Lindsay is frightened for the safety of her father and she also fears for her life. Drugs and alcohol has helped her cope with the problems.

The book is also a Christian romance and so no bad language (one time) and no sex. I was impressed on page 19 when "he has a reputation for being a pain in the rear" were the words instead of the common word today, a**. DiAnn Mills had me at that point.

The book is a page turner and the reader is trying to find the ones in the book who are committing the crimes.

There is murder, assassinations, drugs, romance, Secret Service Agents and power. The cast of characters are: Chip Leonard, son of Ethan Leonard who runs the ranch for the Press Secretary; Pepper who is the cook at the ranch, cooks spicy food and has a care less attitude (I think); the nurse, Carla and a number of agents, on the ranch and off.

I did not like the cover of the book I got from the library and made a remark when I checked it out. Don't judge a book by it's cover and this is a good example. My copy has a woman, not with red hair, holding a gun.

I am giving Attracted to Fire a 4 star. I like the descriptions, the personal contacts and the fact author kept the reader wondering even though the reader will probably guess some of the outcome.

I chose this book as part of the Tyndale Reading Program: http://mediacenter.tyndale.com/X_SRP/X_Secure/login.asp

I look forward to reading other book by this author. You man reach DiAnn Mills at www.diannmills.com and www.facebook.com/diannmills

Check out the Tyndale Reading Program and receive a book.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

This book was recommended on one of my social networking sites. I watched the series on TV recently and decided to read the book also. I am glad I watched the series first because it made the reading easier. I can get the TV series from my library and will probably watch it again. I will say after I read the Preface and saw the author did not believe in God, I almost did not read the book. I am glad I made the choice to read it.


The book is full of history about England and building of cathedrals and the people of the times. Hardships and good times were part of their life in these trying times. The building of a Cathedral is the main topic of the book.

The main characters of The Pillars of the Earth are:

Prior Philip- Prior of the Kingsbrdige Priory

Tom Builder- the master mason building the Cathedral for Philip

Alfred-son of Tom and Agnes

Martha- daughter of Tom and Agnes

Jonathan- son of Tom and Agnes

Agnes- first wife of Tom

Ellen- second wife of Tom

Jack- son of Ellen

Aliena- daughter of Earl of Shiring

Richard- son of Earl of Shiring

William- son of Percy Hamleigh

Regan- mother of William

Francis- brother of Philip

King Henry- the first King Henry

Maud- daughter of King Henry

Stephen- nephew of King Henry

Waleran Bigod- Archdeacon and then Bishop of Kingsbridge

This book is full of history. For those who have seen some of the great cathedrals of Europe, this is a reminder of their majesty. I remember seeing many cathedrals of Europe and in England and they all have the special feelings of something great.

There is love, hate, jealously, fear, rape, greed, religion. love of God and family, heartbreak and murder in this The Pillars of the Earth book of 973 pages. Some of the rape scenes were graphic as some of the battle scenes and I scanned over them.

The chapters are:

Prologue- Year 1123

Part One- Years 1135-1136

Part Two- Years 1136-1137

Part Three- Years 1142-1145

Part Four- Years 1142-1145

Part Five- Years 1152-1155

Part Six- Years 1170-1174

I give this book a definite 5 star.

Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com

When Midnight Comes by Lori Handeland

When Midnight Comes by Lori Handeland

A short story that moves quickly and emotionally. The story is based in New York City in 1869. Jack has been murdered and wants a second chance at life. His love, Lucia, comes to him and walks him through what he did wrong to achieve his accomplishments in life. It reminded me of Mr. Scrooge and his past, present and future. Being alone and unloved is the biggest punishment when one is alive is a part of the book that seemed so true to me. This is a story of emotions, love, punishment, selfishness and a second change which most of us would like. There is a religious tone in the story and I think a Catholic one such as Purgatory.

A good read. There is one sexual portion of the story so I recommend this one for adults. I personally think some of it could be left out of the story and have it a great read for young people because of the theme of the story.

A reader can purchase this e-book on Amazon.com and Smashwords.com for .99.

Find the author at www.lorihandeland.com and also on Facebook.

I want to thank Smashwords.com and Lori Handeland for the complimentary copy of this e-book and the opportunity to read and review this story. The opinions are my own.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

The Box of Rocks

Box of Rocks by Karla Telega

This is a mystery/adventure and "where am I in life" type of book. Two women, Maggie Gorski and Cheryl Anderson are at a mid-life crisis and need something to keep them busy. They have made a list of things to do such as rock collecting, a book club, ghost hunting and target practice. Maggie is married and Cher is divorced. Both have a dog that are also part of the book and I think helped make the book with the extra activities that dogs bring to daily life.

Maggie and Cher head for the hills to search for gold and find themselves involved with a murder.

A college associate of Paul Lakeland has been murdered and Paul is arrested for the murder. Paul found a clay jug that he believed was Native American in a cave and wanted to do his thesis on it for his doctorate degree in archaeology.

Twists and turns keep the reader surprised. There are laughs and also some serious matters.

I liked this book, it was an easy read and kept me interested. The f word was only used one time and I could have done without the almost sex scene. The characters, Maggie and Cher, were like friends one might know; a little eccentric but likable characters and the reader can relate to some problems the women had.

I would have liked to see more of the characters who were brought into the book with no ending for them. Possible they might be in a future adventure of Maggie and Cher.

I liked the descriptions of the area of South Carolina because I am not familiar with the state and it's history.

I give Box of Rocks a four star for a different and fun book to read..

I wish to thank the author, Karla Telega and Smashwords for the complimentary copy of Box of Rocks and the opportunity to read and review. The opinions are my own. This will be a great series of books on Maggie and Cher and their adventures.

You can find Karla at www.telegatales.com

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mnleona

The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, Felix J. Palma and Simon & Schuster to read and review. The opinions are my own.


The book has been translated from Spanish to English by Nick Caistor.

I was first interested in this book because the cover said the book would have characters such as H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, two of my favorites.

Interesting read but a little confusing at times. I actually was reading this book and put it aside then began to read again. The review is just a touch because the reader must read the book to get the real details and content of the book or "Tale(s)" as the author has said.

H. G. Wells was one of the main characters in this book. His book, The Time Machine, was all the rage in Europe.
There are three parts of this book. Part One goes into the past, Part Two goes into the future and Part Three goes way into the future as well as a lot of this section stays in the book's time period of the late 1880s.
Andrew Harrington in Part One wants to go into the past to kill Jack the Ripper before he kills his love, Marie Kelly by using the machine that took the character, George, into the future with his Time Machine which is described in the book written by Wells, The Time Machine. Andrew is suicidal and his cousin, Charles, takes Andrew to see H. G. Wells so Andrew could travel back to the past. Marie is a prostitute in the Whitechapel area in London. I did some research and find the names I checked are the women Jack the Ripper killed except the name was Mary Kelly, not Marie. This section is very descriptive in the gruesome acts of what Jack the Ripper does to the women.
Part Two of The Map of Time journeys us into the future and time travel. Gilliam Murray has developed a program that takes men and women of London area from 1896 to the year 2000 and it is called Murray's Time Travel. The passengers are transported into the fourth dimension on a tram where they find automations are trying to take over the world in a legendary battle between humans and automations. The hero is Captain Derek Shackleton and his job is to defeat the king of the automations.

Claire Haggerty has decided to go to Murray's Time Travel with her friend, Lucy, but makes plans not to return to her time period. Claire has decided that the century in which she lives is boring and she has no interest in men in her time era. She believes the future holds more for her. When the passengers are getting ready to depart, Claire hides and see Captain Shackleton without his helmet, which had hidden his face during the battle. She tells him she loves him and wants to be with him in this time period. The man in charge of the group finds Claire and tells her she must leave with the rest of the group; Derek Shackleton rushes out of sight.

The tale is interesting and there are many details of people and events. H.G. Wells and his wife, Jane, are brought into the tale closer to the end.
Part Three has a Scotland Yard detective who believes that someone from the future is committing murder in London. This section is mainly about Wells but also has Henry James and Dram Stoker. H.G.Well's book, The Invisible Man, is part of this tale.

This book is difficult to read because there are so many different occasions happening and the book seems to jump into different areas but the author still brings the tales together. It is a page tuner and so many details and people are in this book, even if only a mention. After I started the book again, I started with Part Two and went back to Part One. The "Map of Time" is described in Part Three and well worth waiting for the meaning. It pulls the book together.

Some names are Jules Verne, Dram Stoker, Henry James, German chemist who developed aspirin (Felix Hoffmann) in the late 1800s and the chemist who invented Coca Cola.
Felix J. Palma has done a remarkable job on The Map of Time. It seems like he is in London and for the readers who have been to London, it puts the reader there but in another time era.

Anyone interested in time travel will find this a good read.

I have to give this a five star plus because of all the details in the book/tales.
Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com

Heart of Ice by Lis Wiehl

Review of another Triple Threat Club book by Lis Wiehl with April Henry.

Three professional women in the book all have a personal story which captures the reader's heart and emotions.

Nicole Hedges is an FBI agent, Allison Pierce is a federal prosecutor and Cassidy Shaw is a TV crime reporter. The three met in college and one time shared a Triple Threat Chocolate Cake and so named themselves the Triple Threat Club.

The mystery is not who has done the crimes but makes you wonder how it will end. A page turner with many twists that will keep the reader interested. Elizabeth, or Sissy, is a cold blooded woman whose has a heart of ice as the book title refers. The reader is not sure what she will do next and how.

Murder, conceit, hate, love, tough love, guilt, worry, emotions and prayers and some of the tag words to describe Heart of Ice.

I could relate to the bruised arm in archery, I did that also when I was in high school and that brought back a memory for me, not a good one because it does hurt and sting. I also relate to turning on the TV and FOX comes on; happens in our house all the time.

The author really describes the breast biopsy of Nicole and you are almost with her as she describes the method. Your heart goes out to her.

Lis Wiehl is an attorney and it shows in the descriptions of grand jury and procedures police and the FBI use. I personally like a book when I can learn something.

No swear words (that I remember) or ones that begin with the f word that I am seeing so much now. God is mentioned a number of times and one I liked is when Allison is praying because of her sister, Lindsay, " Lord, give me a loving heart. Help me to see my sister through Your eyes". It is not a religious book and not a steamy book. A good read.

The last book, Hand of Fate, Allison had a miscarriage that broke your heart and in this book, Nicole faces the possiblility of breast cancer. The characters in these Triple Threat Club mysteries leave you with the feeling that these three women could be your sister, your best friend or someone you know at work.

The books, Face of Betrayal, Hand of Fate and Heart of Ice need not be read in order. There is a reading group guide at the end of the book that can be used for a book club.

 I received a complimentary copy of Heart of Ice to read and review from Thomas Nelson Publishers. Reviews are on booksneeze.com. The opinions are my own.